Mantler court date set

The Kelowna Mountie charged with assault last winter after he was filmed kicking a suspect who was on all fours in the head, finally has a court date.

Const. Geoff Mantler will be in court for three weeks starting Nov. 26, 2012, to deal with an assault charge that stemmed from injuring Kelowna resident Buddy Tavares, 51, as he apprehended him after a call from the Harvest Golf Club.

After the arrest, Tavares faced a charge for careless use of a firearm, which related to the 911 call that brought police to the scene. That charge was later dropped.

Mantler’s lawyer, Neville McDougall, said what RCMP Const. Geoff Mantler knew and believed before he kicked Buddy Tavares in the head will be the keystone of his defence when his case goes to trial next year, pointing out that police were responding to more than a complaint about birds being shot at the golf course.

Mantler, who is currently suspended without pay, will also be in court July 2012 to face another charge of assault causing bodily harm stemming from the arrest of Manjit Singh Bhatti.